Diocesan Archives

Limerick Diocesan Archives

The majority of the holdings of Limerick Diocesan Archives date from the end of the nineteenth century and fairly typify Irish diocesan collections. The fourteenth-century Black Book of Limerick, a unique link with the medieval church, formed the basis of a reconstituted archive for the diocese in the early nineteenth century.

Instrumental in this development is Dr John Young, bishop of Limerick (1796-1813) who actively sought to preserve the patrimony and whose papers survive in some quantity, together with those of his predecessor, Dr Denis Conway (1779-96). Another significant eighteenth-century survival is the White Manuscript, comprising a folio of some 200 pages, annals of the diocese collated by Rev. James White (d.1768). In contrast, the collections of each of Young’s successors, Dr Charles Touhy (1814-28), Dr John Ryan (1828-64) and Dr George Butler (1864-86) are, unfortunately, very limited in scope.

The greater part of the archive was created after the 1950s, a period characterised by the expansion of diocesan services and the professionalisation of the administration, beginning with the episcopate of Henry Murphy (1958-73). However, the papers of several of Murphy’s predecessors, beginning with E. T. O’Dwyer (1886-1917), are very complete, as are those of Denis Hallinan (1918-23), David Keane (1924-45) and Patrick O’Neill (1946-58).

The O’Dwyer papers in particular betray an acute awareness of the written record and its significance. The collection refers to diverse areas of Irish life during the period, of interest to students of the Irish cultural revival, social and women’s history and the history of Limerick city and diocese in particular.

In the 1950s and after, the private papers of a number of Limerick clergy were acquired by the archive. Especially interesting is the collection of eighteenth and nineteenth-century Irish manuscripts formerly in the library of An Canónach Tomás de Bháll.

The Limerick Diocesan Archive seeks to preserve these records, making them available to the diocese, its people and to researchers as appropriate. Access to the archive is by appointment only.

David Bracken, 'A history of Irish Catholic diocesan collections through a Limerick lens', in Archivium Hibernicum (forthcoming).

Catalogue of the papers of Dr Denis Conway, bishop of Limerick (1722-96). See David Bracken, 'Catalogue of the papers of Dr Denis Conway (1722-96) in Limerick Diocesan Archives', in Archivium Hibernicum, lxix (2016), pp 215-308.

Catalogue of the papers of Dr John Young, bishop of Limerick (1746-1813). See David Bracken, 'Catalogue of the papers of Dr John Young, bishop of Limerick (1746-1813) held in the Limerick Diocesan Archives', in Archivium Hibernicum, lxviii (2015), pp 168-293.

Genealogy; access to parish registers

Baptismal and Marriage registers are held in individual parishes and not in a central repository. For conservation reasons, direct access to the registers is reserved to parish personnel. While parish staff make every effort to faciltate researchers, they are unable to prioritise queries. Access extends to entries up to and including 1916.

Catholic parish registers: from the National Library of Ireland, microfilms of parish registers pre 1880. No indexes available.

Irish Family History Foundation or Roots.ie provides a gateway to Irish ancestry, roots, genealogy and family history from anywhere in Ireland with access to church records pre 1900 and significantly indexes of baptisms and marriages.

Limerick Genealogy, the Irish Family History Foundation's designated centre for Limerick city and county, provides a professional genealogical service to researchers. Find below, a list of sites as an aid to research.

Where to begin?

Irish Genealogy: exploring your Irish family history step-by-step. Also civil registration indexes including births to 1913, marriages to 1938 and deaths to 1963.

Limerick Genealogy: the Irish Family History Foundation's designated centre for Limerick city and county provides a full and professional research service. Initial correspondence usually receives a reply within two weeks. Church records to which Limerick Genealogy has access include: Catholic parish records, the earliest of which date from 1745, Church of Ireland records dating from 1692, Presbyterian records from 1828 and Methodist records from 1824.